


His Dangerous Profession

by flyingonfeatherlesswings



Series: Royal Strordo AU [1]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Married Couple, Royalty AU, no powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-08 22:28:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8865763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingonfeatherlesswings/pseuds/flyingonfeatherlesswings
Summary: Prince Karl Mordo gets shot at an event and his husband Stephen attempts to not fall apart.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt on the Doctor Strange kink meme (https://doctorstrangekinkmeme.tumblr.com/post/154488318800/strordo-royal-au-angst-stephen-falling-asleep-in) that ate my brain. I'm working on the next chapter of DKoD but I had to get this out.

Hospitals are normally a place of a commotion, chaos, and intense reaction. But one private New York General waiting room was eerily silent. The only sound was the pacing footsteps of a man, clad in a blood-stained tuxedo. The man's face a tumult of emotion, switching between anger, confusion and grief that threatened to bubble over. Quite frankly he looked like he might just shake apart right in the middle of the room, and the other occupants were terrified to be that catalyst. 

All the attention switched when a large black man was admitted into the waiting room. He thanked the nurse and then turned to the pacing man, who had stopped pacing to level a look of cold regard on him. The newcomer steeled his face but he couldn't help but let a look of apprehension peak out.

The man in the blood-stained suit folded his arms in front of him, “Well? Status update Daniel?”

“The preparator is in custody and the interrogations are already being planned, but we suspect he may ties to a terrorist organization that the royal family personally denounced a few years ago. They may have been trying to send a message.” 

“Yes shooting my husband in the chest in the middle of a gallery opening is quite a rather loud message I would think,” replied the man in a biting tone.

“But yes I'm sure he had his silly little motive, they always do,” said the man starting to pace again, “No I don't care about the why, what I can't understand is how? How did an assassin get by one of the supposedly best trained security teams in the world? Please tell me, Daniel. I'm sure you, as the head of this team, would have the answer.” 

“Sir, I think you need to sit down,” said Daniel, trying to keep his voice calm. He turned to a woman sitting on the couch, some sort of royal PA who looked like she might just burst into tears at any moment. “Can you go get his Highness some tea?” The woman nodded curtly and was out the door in a flash, obviously wanting to escape the tension in the room.

Daniel’s request only angered the man more though. “No Daniel, I don't want tea, I don't want to sit down, I want to know why my husband is in there fighting for his life in surgery and I wasn't allowed in!”

“They never let family members in, sir--”

“And how could you let this happen in the first place? You're supposed to protect him Daniel!”

At the outburst, the man griped his eyes shut tight, a few tears escaping as he stood in the middle of the room fuming.

Daniel approached the man with caution, reaching out to take the man’s clenched fists into his hands and lean in close. 

“Stephen,” he whispered to the man, “I will let you rail against me all night long if it reassured you and took your mind off the situation at hand, but I can tell that it doesn't. I am so sorry Stephen and as much as you think you hate me at the moment, I despise myself more.”

Stephen opened up his eyes and was met with the grief stricken face of the head of the royal family’s security team. He knew that Daniel had known Karl for many years, and he knew the man saw his husband, and now him, as a friend, not only an employer. The guilt he must be feeling must be unimaginable.

Stephen choked out a sob, and leaned his head into Daniel’s shoulder, the man being several inches taller than him. “Daniel, I'm so sorry, I just don't know what I'm going to do.”

Daniel reached around, rubbing Stephen's back. “You can start by changing out of those clothes and going back to the penthouse. Karl will still be in surgery for a few hours and then he'll be under for a while after that.”

Stephen straightened his back, composing himself. “No, not going to happen. I want to be by his side immediately after he is out, I don't want him to be alone. Not here.”

He looked down at the stained suit, “I do look a mess though, don't I? I thought I could march out of here, like Jackie O in her pink suit, ‘Let them see what they have done.’”

“You're not like Jackie O.”

Stephen barked out a laugh, “Yes, I suppose I was never that regal.”

Daniel shook his head, “No I mean, you're not like her because Karl isn't going to die.”

Stephen blinked, “Yes, thank you Daniel.” Daniel responded by reaching out, squeezing Stephen's hand reassuringly.

The rest of the occupants, other members of the security team and assorted royal staff, all inwardly heaved a sigh of relief as Daniel led him over to one of the couches.

xxxx

Two hours, and three cups of tea and one more emotional breakdown, later, Dr. Christine Palmer emerged into the waiting room to greet her former colleague. Stephen was happy that they just happened to bring Mordo here, he felt like his husband was safer in Christine's hands.

Stephen, now changed into more casual and less blood-stained clothes, shot to his feet at seeing Christine.

“Stephen, the surgery went off without a hitch. With plenty of relaxation and care, he should be fine in a few weeks.”

Stephen felt most of his stress fall from him and he could've collapsed, but his will to see his husband kept him on his feet. He instead propelled himself forward, hugging his friend tightly. “Can I see him?”

“Of course.”

She led him down some corridors, arriving at an out of the way, spacious room. Karl was a prince after all.

Stephen froze in the doorway, staring at his husband in the bed. Mordo’s skin stood out against the white sheets, his chest wrapped in bandages. He was connected to a plethora of machines, the beeping and the glowing from which made the room a beehive of activity. 

“He should wake up within the next 12 hours sometime.”

“I know,” said Stephen giving his friend a small smile. “I know how all these machines work and what they do, still doesn't stop me from wanting to yank out all the wires and take him home. But that's ridiculous, he has to heal and home is so very far away.”

Christine nodded, “I'll give you some time alone and have someone bring up a cot.”

“Christine,” Stephen called out before his friend could leave completely, “Thank you again, it must've been nerve-wracking operating on a prince.”

Christine smiled, “It wasn't the prince part that made it hard, it was the ‘my friend’s husband’ part.”

xxxx

Prince Mordo continued to sleep deeply, his husband Stephen dutifully staying by his side holding his hand. 

Stephen was persuaded to exit the room to stretch his legs and go down to the Starbucks on the first floor. He felt rather ridiculous having three bodyguards on him just for a coffee trip, but Daniel had insisted. Stephen foresaw security being tight for the next few months, he wouldn’t be able to walk around their estate’s gardens without a member of the security team breathing down his neck he was sure.

Stephen hadn’t slept the whole night and the constant beeping was making him rather jittery so despite the awkwardness, he was glad to clear his head. At one point someone had turned on the TV, but a broadcast about the night before had caught his eye. He saw the video that didn’t capture what had happened exactly but he heard the screams in the chaos afterward, his own lost in the all commotion. The anchors were discussing the incident when one reporter chimed in, “Prince Karl is known for his devotion for his husband, Stephen. I wouldn’t be surprised if he jumped in front of him and that’s why he was hit so directly.”

Stephen had wracked his brain, replaying that moment over and over but it had all happened so quickly. Had Karl jumped in front of him? Had the gun been aimed on Stephen? After that, a short walk was welcome. But of course, this was when Mordo decided to rejoin the land of the living.

The hospital room was empty for just a moment, Daniel was out in the hallway chatting with a nurse. Mordo’s eyes slowly blinked open and he started making quiet moans. Daniel turned back and saw that the prince was waking up and quickly ran to his side. 

“Your highness! You are in the hospital, you were shot.”

“Daniel…”

“Please refrain from moving too much sire.”

“Daniel...where is…” Mordo struggled to get out. His heart monitor started to beep louder and a nurse came into the room. 

“Your highness, please remain calm.”

Mordo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating on the words he wanted to say. “Where is my husband?” he finally said in a hoarse whisper. 

Daniel could have slapped himself, of course Stephen would be the first thing on Mordo’s mind, “He’s fine, your highness. He’s just stepped out for a moment. After you were hit, I got him behind me and to safety.”

Mordo sighed in relief, initially fearing the worst, and his heartbeat slowed to normal again. 

Daniel took a moment to radio down to one of his men, and a few minutes later Stephen came running in immediately at Mordo’s side, gripping his hand. Daniel and his men cleared out so the couple could have privacy. 

Stephen sat down in the chair next to Mordo’s bed, letting a few tears escape and roll down his face. Mordo just turned to his husband, a soft smile on his face. Stephen sniffed, “You really had me worried there.” 

“I’m sorry,” choked out Mordo 

Stephen laughed, “No no, you didn’t do anything, silly. You did exactly what you’re supposed to do, you stayed here. With me.” 

“Of course, it would take more to pry me from your side,” said Mordo back in a whisper. 

Stephen smiled until his face cracked and soon the tears were freely flowing, “I love you, don’t do that again please, Karl.”

“Do what?”

“Get shot.”

Mordo responded back with a firm hand squeeze. “I love you too.” 

Life was never easy for the royal couple, but as long as they had each other, the world would keep turning.


End file.
